Acquisition of a Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometer for Research Involving Undergraduate Students

在Nadja Cech博士的指导下，向位于格林斯伯勒的北卡罗来纳州大学（UNCG）提供了一笔赠款，用于支持购置基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱仪。 将受益于MALDI-TOF质谱仪的联合国全球导航卫星系统项目包括：一个研究项目，重点是紫锥菊的作用机制，紫锥菊是一种广泛用于治疗和预防感冒和烟道的草药制剂;细胞色素P450酶催化作用中活性中间体的特性;发展毛细管电泳分离后信号蛋白分析的新策略;与聚酮化合物合成有关的酶的蛋白质衍生反应产物的检测和表征;并使用MALDI质谱仪分析参与介导脂肪细胞基因表达的转录事件的蛋白质。用这笔赠款购买的TOF质谱仪将促进许多从事化学和生物学不同领域研究的研究人员之间的合作。 预计这些合作将加强研究人员的研究计划，并导致重要的科学发展。 此外，这一工具将成为一些研究生和本科生教育的一个组成部分。 通过参与这项研究，学生将学习样品制备，仪器操作和数据解释的细节，用于分析技术（MALDI-TOF质谱法），这在生物化学研究中变得越来越不可或缺。 此外，学生将提高他们在其他领域的实验室技能，如蛋白质表达，生物化合物的提取和纯化，并将熟悉假设驱动研究的过程。 预计将从该奖项中受益的各种研究项目将在许多方面对科学界和整个社会产生重大影响。 Nadja Cech博士希望获得对评估草药（紫锥菊）的安全性和有效性有用的信息，美国公众每年花费数百万美元。 Gregory Raner博士的研究结果可能有助于工业合成，生物修复和生物传感器开发的新策略的开发。 Dawson博士的研究对社会有益，因为它有望帮助识别与疾病状态相关的蛋白质信号异常，并导致新型蛋白质疗法的开发。 为了实现他所提出的研究目标，杰森雷迪克博士希望能为改进药用聚酮化合物的生物合成方法提供见解，聚酮化合物是一类化合物，包括抗生素红霉素和有效的抗癌化合物埃博霉素。 最后，罗恩莫里森博士希望他的研究结果将促进对抗肥胖和糖尿病的新方法的发展。

A grant has been awarded to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) under the direction of Dr. Nadja Cech for support of the acquisition of a matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI -TOF) mass spectrometer. Projects at UNCG that will benefit from the MALDI -TOF mass spectrometer include: a research project that will focus on the mechanism of action of Echinacea, an herbal preparation that is widely used for the treatment and prevention of colds and flues; characterization of reactive intermediates in catalysis by cytochrome P450 enzymes; the development of novel strategies for the analysis of signaling proteins following separation by capillary electrophoresis; the detection and characterization of protein-derived reaction products of enzymes involved with polyketide synthesis; and using the MALDI mass spectrometer to analyze proteins involved in transcriptional events that mediate adipocyte gene expression.The MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer to be purchased with this grant will foster collaborations between a number of investigators pursuing research in different areas of chemistry and biology. These collaborations are expected to strengthen the investigators' research programs and lead to important scientific developments. In addition, this instrument will be an integral part of the education of a number of graduate and undergraduate students. Through their involvement with this research, the students will learn the details of sample preparation, instrument operation, and data interpretation for an analytical technique (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry) that is becoming increasingly indispensable in biochemical research. In addition, the students will improve their laboratory skills in other areas, such as protein expression, and extraction and purification of biological compounds, and will become acquainted with the process of hypothesis driven research. The diverse research projects that will benefit from this award are expected to be significant to the scientific community and society as a whole in a number of ways. Dr. Nadja Cech expects to obtain information useful in the assessment of the safety and efficacy of an herbal medicine (Echinacea) on which the general public in the US spends millions of dollars annually. The results of Dr. Gregory Raner's research may be useful in the development of novel strategies for industrial synthesis, bioremediation, and biosensor development. Dr. Dawson's research is of benefit to society because it is expected to aid in the identification of abnormalities in protein signaling associated with disease states, and lead to the development of novel protein therapies. In carrying out the aims of his proposed research, Dr. Jason Reddick expects to provide insight into improved methods for biosyntheses of medicinally useful polyketides, a class of compounds that includes the antibiotic erythromycin and the potent anticancer compound epothilone. Finally, Dr. Ron Morrison hopes that the results of his research will facilitate the development of novel approaches to combat obesity and diabetes.